Error signal control circuit



March 10, W, p. BO| |NGER ET AL ERROR SIGNAL CONTROL CIRCUIT 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed June 2l, 1949 `.Inventores Waldon R Bollingez: 8- Harry gf? han am ATTORNEY March 10, 1953 w. P. BoLLlNGl-:R ET AL 2,631,279

ERROR SIGNAL CONTROL CIRCUIT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 21. 194e Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED ASTATES TENT OFFICE ERROR SIGNAL CONTROL CIRCUIT Delaware Application June 21, 1949, Serial No. 100,375

8 Claims.

This invention relates to control circuits for electrical apparatus, and more particularly to control circuits that are designed and arranged to produce an output that is proportional in amplitude to the indicated error in the operation of the associated controlled circuit and that has a polarity indicative of the direction of the error.

Control circuits of the type specified may produce a finite error signal when the controlled apparatus is, in fact, operating in the desired mode. This nite error signal may be the result of D.C. drift, contact potentials, and phase errors in the circuit elements that comprise the control circuit. In systems in which line regulation of operation is necessary, potentials of the magnitude of those produced by imperfections in the component circuit elements of the control circuit may appear as a true error signal in the output of the control circuit and cause the control circuit to initiate an incorrect readjustment of the controlled circuit operation.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a highly sensitive control circuit that is responsive only to actual error signals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a control circuit in which the effects of unstable D.C. characteristics in the component circuit elements are eliminated from the error or control signal output of the control circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of and means for eliminating errors resulting from contact potentials or phase shift in electrical circuits of a system in which two paths of information are combined and compared to obtain a control signal for adjusting the performance of a controlled system with which the method and means are utilized.

The invention is generally applicable to all types of control systems in which two paths of information are combined to obtain a control signal having an amplitude proportional to the indicated error and a polarity indicative of the direction of the error. Control circuits of this type are widely used in direction nders, temperature control systems, and in systems that automatically position the antenna array of a radar system.

To facilitate yan understanding of the invention, the invention is hereinafter described specifically with reference to a simultaneous lobing type radar system and a temperature control system. It will be understood, however, that the principles explained with reference to the specic embodiments mentioned are equally ap- 2 plicable to a wide variety of control circuits generally similar in their functional operation to the type described.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a block diagram illustrating the manner in which the invention may be utilized in conjunction with a simultaneous lobing type radar system;

Figure 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of one type of commutator circuit that may be employed in utilizing the invention;

Figure 3 is a simplied schematic diagram of one type of circuit that may comprise the phase detector of Figures l and 4;

Figure 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of an embodiment of the invention disclosed in conjunction With a temperature control system, and

Figure 5 is a group of graphs illustrative of pulse waveforms in selected portions of the circuit described by reference to Figure l.

Similar reference characters are applied to similar elements throughout the drawing.

In Figure l an embodiment of the invention is shown in conjunction with a simultaneous lobing type radar system which is provided with a receiver feed system 20 designed to extract a sum pattern, or a sum and difference pattern, from the reflected transmitter signals, depending upon the position of the signal reflecting object relative to the central axis of the antenna array 2l. In the event that the object from which the ranging pulse propagated by the transmitter of the system is reflected, is displaced to either side of the central axis of the antenna array 2l both a vector sum or reference and a vector dierence signal will be obtained, the difference signal having a phase With respect to the sum, or reference signal of plus or minus depending upon the direction from the central axis of the antenna array that the reflecting object is located. When the reilecting object is positioned on the central axis of the antenna array, no difference signals are received, as is Well known in the operation of systems of this type. Reference may be made to U. S. Patent No. 2,456,666 to C. S. Agate et al., issued December 21, 1948, which discloses one example of an antenna array system in Whi-ch such sum and difference signals are derived.

A sum signal thus obtained is applied to the first receiver channel which comprises ya first converter 22 in which the sum signal is heterodyned by signals from a local oscillator I9 to an intermediate frequency signal which is amplified in the intermediate-frequency amplifier 23 and thereafter passed to the phase detector 24. The

diierence signal, which has a phase With respect to the sum signal that is indicative of the direction of the antenna error, is applied to the Second receiver channel which includes a second converter 25. The signal output of the second converter 25 is passedto a commutator 2l', described in greater, detail byl reference to Figure 2 of the drawing, in which the phase of the signal is periodically reversed by the application of a square Wave commutating signal 28 originated in the -commutating signal generator 2.9'.l Repetitionrates of this square wave shouldbe equal to or greater than error occurrences resulting from the aforementioned instabilities of" theqsystem.

The commutator 2l may comprise a circuit of` the type, illustrated in Figure 2, which may be coupled to the preceding stage bythe. coupling transformer 21a. The grids of the tube elements 2lb and 27C are connected to the secondary winding of transformer 21a in'push-pull relationship. The plates of the tubes 2lbV and 21e are connected in parallel and the center tap-2ld-isgrounded, sol that no output is obtained in the Yplate circuit 21e when both tubes are conducting. However; yin theinstance when a` controlsignal is applied in push-pull to` the grids or the suppressor` grids oi' the tubes 2lb or 21e, which willblock theorie tube and permit the other tube to conduct, an output will be obtainedV` in ,the plate-circuit 21e and the phase ofthe output'will be'reversed whenthe conducting tube. is Yturnedo'andV the nonconductirig tube turned on by a control signal. In order to have only one tube at a time conduct, itis necessary that thecontrol signal alsobe appliedin push-pull. The square pulse signal 28 supplied to Vthe commutator2-l by thefcommutating signalgsource. 29 is shown as having a pulse width Tand the application of the sign-a1 28 to the commutator will cause the Vconverted pulse input signals to the commutator to be reversed in phase periodically as indicated at 3B, 30d,V in Figure 5(6), 'which represents the output of the commutator. The fundamental frequency or frequency of recurrence of the squarecwave is substantially less, say oneY tenth or less, as illustrated;` than the phase reversed signal voltage.

The output 3D, 30a of the `commutator 27, which isothusperiodically being reversed in phase, is

amplified in the second I.F. ampl'ier 3i and ale-- plied tothe phase detector 24 wherein a comparison of the phase of the dierence signal is made with referenceto the suml signaland an output developed whose polarity is dependent onthe-direction in' which the phaseof the'diiierence signal 'diiiers from that of the sum signal. As the phase ofthe difference signal 30, 36st, isbeing reversed periodically bythe application-fl the. commutating signal 28, theV output of the phase detector 24 will be a signal 32, shown in Figure (0) similar in -form to thecommutating signal- 28; wherein theV excursion ofthe -signal in either direction, as the'phase of the diirerence signal is periodically'reversed, will be representative of the amplitude of therdiiierence signal.

The output Y32 of the phase detector 2t 'is appliedfto a-boxcar detector 33 which functions tolengthenthenarrow appliedA pulse signal .32and Valley, Jr., Radiation Laboratory Series, vol. 22

(1948), page 198.

It may be noted that the output-ofthe boxcar4 detector 33 will comprise components from sources other than the difference signal as, for example, components resulting from phase instabilities in the I.F. ampliiiers, contact potentials in the phase detector and boxcar detector and D.C. leaks from gating circuits that may be included in the receiver;system:y Thefoutput signal thus comprised is applied toa second cornmutator 34 which also is commutated at the same rate as the commutator 2 by the commutating signal 28: Thisseccnd com utator circuit 34 reestablishes the sense to the difference signal and periodically alters the direction of the unidirectional xed errors inthe system originated in the various sources mentioned above.

The output of' the second commutator 34 is then applied tothelow-pass filter 35 in which the difference signal, previously commutated in the first commutator 2l and subsequently synchronously rectied to D.C. in the second commutator 34, is passed as a D.C. error voltage havingV an amplitude proportional to` the error anda D0"-J larity indicative-oi the-directionrof theerror. The. signals resulting from. irregularities in the operation of the componen-t elements in the system., as

previously noted, which havebeen commutated in the second comm-utator circuit-34, are. in eiect alternately added toand subtracted from the desired output signal fromI the b'oxcar detector 33,; and are ltered out as an A.C component.

The exact manner inf whichacircuit arranged in- -the described form effectively eliminates confV trol errors-that would otherwiseresult from con--I tact potentials and phase. instabilities in i thesysteni, may be betterfunderstoodby considering.`

the operationI of the system where, for examiner the phase detectorA -24y comprisesafb'alanced `cir-r cuit of the type illustratedin-simpliedfschematic. diagram, Figure-3.

The amplifiers- 23.and3l are transformercoupledte` the phase detector. 24through. theicerri' ter-tapcoil 36 and the secondary coil 3'?, respec tively. The circuit -is arranged so that no output will be' obtained' at the terminals 38 'and 39 fin. the;

absence of a signal from the amplifier 3l. Where. however, a si-gnalis'supplied fromntheamplifier 3l either the diode 4'llfor 4 I` will,conduct.depending upon the phase of thefsignal: supliedby-theampliner 3| with` referencevto: the phase: ofthe sum: or` referencesig'nalsupplied by theeamplifier:23V andthe polarity ofthe signal 'appearing on. the

terminals 38 vand gl'b'eingl representative-'ofi the direction: in which the phase` ofthe-signal from: the amplifier y3| dii'ered with respect tothephase.

of the signal. applied` from` th'efarnplier-23VM Asis;

unavoidable, one of the diodes 40er di mayiiaveD a higherv cont-act'potential than-,the others-diodey and, consequentlyfeven though, no signal is being;

applied through vthe' amplifier ,3 l ,1 .thusindicating that the control 'system is: :properlybalancedethe:

difference in the: contact. :potential between;ithe Y.

diodeswill causea--signalto.A appear at theftermi na-ls 38 and 39 'depending upon. which of: the; diodes:

has-the higher contact potential. The.l signal` thus produced will initiatearr improper readjusteV ment of the controlled system or inthe event dii ferencesignal is -beingfapplied tofth'e phase `d'e tector, the commutation will cause al greateriex'- signal from the detector 33 and are subsequently filtered out as an A.C. component in the lowpass filter 35. Consequently, the error voltage obtained from the filter 35 will be exactly representative of the difference signal applied to the converter 25 with respect to indicating the magnitude and the direction of the error with which the antenna array 2! is being positioned.

The manner in which the invention may be employed with other control systems utilizing two paths of information that are compared in a single device or comparator to obtain a control voltage indicative of the magnitude and the direction of the error with which the controlled system is operating, and which voltage may be employed to correct the error thus indicated, is

illustrated in Figure 4. In this gure there is shown a temperature control system comprising a balanced bridge 42 that includes a temperature sensitive element 4t which may be inserted in the area the temperature of which is to be controlled. An alternating current operating potential is applied to the terminals i4 and 45, and in the event the temperature in the controlled area varies from that for which the bridge has been balanced, a current will flow from across terminals AS `and. lll into circuit 4S which circuit is transformer-coupled to the audio amplifier stage 49. The direction of current flow in the circuit 48 is dependent upon the direction of variance of the temperature in the controlled area from the selected temperature for Which the bridge has been balanced, and the directional information is realized by comparing the phase of the current passing in the circuit 48 with the phase of the reference current which is taken from across the operating potential terminals of the bridge and applied to the phase detector 24 through the center tap transformer 5D. The input of the one path of information to the audio amplifier S is commutated in the same manner as the difference signal input to the I.-F. amplifier 3l is commutated in the system illustrated in Figure 1. The output of phase detector 24 of Figure 4 is passed to the second commutator 34 where the output is commutated similarly to the output of the detector 33 of the system illustrated in Figure l. Correspondingly, the undirectional fixed errors in the system will be alternately added to and substracted from the desired output from the phase detector 2d and Will be filtered out as an A.C. component in the lowpass lter 35 while the previously commutated error signal will be synchronously rectied and passed as a D.C. error voltage from the lowpass filter. This voltage will have an amplitude proportional to the error signal alone and a polarity indicative of the direction of the error. The error voltage thus obtained may be employed to readjust the operation of the controlled system in any Well known manner, Ias by controlling heaters or blowers.

There has thus been disclosed a method Iand means for eliminating the effect of phase instabilities, contact potentials and gating imperfections in a control system utilizing two paths of information which are subsequently compared to obtain a signal indicative of the error and the direction of the error. The arrangements disclosed herein are equally applicable to direction finders and other similar systems that employ the described principle. The explanation of the inventon with reference to a simultaneous lobing radar system and a temperature control system is not intended to restrict the invention to sys- Cil tems of those specific types otherwise than indicated in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. An electrical control circuit comprising: a. phase detector, means for applying a phase reference signal of known frequency to said detector. means for applying an error signal of the same said frequency to said detector, said error signal having a phase with respect to said reference signal indicative of the departure of an associated controlled system from its desired performance, means for periodically reversing the phase of said error' signal at a rate less than the frequency of said reference signal and prior to its application to said detector, means for synchronously with the first named phase reversal reversing the phase of the output of said phase detector, and means for filtering out the alternating current component of the output of said last named phase altering means.

2. An electrical control circuit comprising: a phase detector, means for applying a phase reference signal of known frequency to said detector, means for applying an error signal of the same said frequency to said detector, said error signal having a phase with respect to said reference signall indicative of the departure of an associated controlled system from its desired performance, means for periodically reversing at a rate less than said frequency the phase of the said error signal, means for reversing the phase of the output of said phase detector synchronously with the first named phase reversal, and means for filtering out the alternating current component of the output of said last named phase reversing means.

3. An electrical control system as dened in claim 2 characterized by the said means for reversing the phase of the said error signal and said means for reversing the phase of said output of said phase detector comprising: a circuit having two modes of operation, the output of the circuit in one mode being reversed in phase with respect to the output of the circuit in the other mode, means for generating a square wave voltage of fundamental frequency less than said frequency, and means for applying said voltage to said circuit to periodically alter the mode of operation of said circuit.

4. A control system including: a signal comparator, means for applying two sources of signals each of the same first frequency to said comparator, means for periodically reversing the phase of one of the applied signals at a second frequency less than said first, and means for commutating the output of said comparator in synchronism with the said periodic phase reversal.

5. A simultaneous lobing radar system including: a receiver component having an antenna feed system arranged to extract a vector sum signal and a Vector difference signal from high assumez plierindicallz.;` reversin'gf: phaseV ofsaid'. differenceput1of-seidl phase detector:- eacircomprisn'g.: i al.

circuit 'having .tivonodes-` nfsoperatiomthe'outputk oflthemircui'tinf onenode being reversedjrnp'liase with .respect to'. tlzrei: output irl-:v the .1 other. mode..V means for gene1fatn'gi-ar-square Wave Voltageandl meansfoi:.applying theisaifd. voltage/Ltosaid "circui-titoperiodically "change .thefsad cireuitiromf one mode ofy opera-siento:theio'ther;

82 Afl simultaneous; lolorigL raid-arfA systemai'. as defiief in claim-5i characterized: 'by/saidA receiver comporrentincluding.; sepaiateimeans for hetero-f dynng said sum and said difference.'signalsfrto intermediateVA frecuiencies;`4v substantially higher than: said 1 phasel f reversing. frequency, Ynfiean's.l `for applying saidL diflerencefintermediate lfrequency` signal to. said` dilerence signal phase reversingmeans,l means for amplifying-.said sumlintermedh ate-f frequency .signal and-applying the amplified sum-signal to?` said. phase.` detector.. mean'sf-fr applyin'gsltheperiodically vreversed;:differelceesg nallto; said phaseirdeteotomz and :means-I connected^ to.i said? phase: Il detectorA andi. said commuiatngf` means. for?` elongating. the 'pulsefoutputfof said phase-r. detector andi .sustaining an. input 1 to: said'` con'lmutator;

WALDON. Pi. BOLLINGER... HARRY SOI-ION.;

REFElib-ENCESv CI'IIIED.

, The `fol-lowing references are of record 'r-the. leofthis patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.:

2,113,164: Williams f Apr. 5, 1938` 2,114,298;l Gunni Apr. 19,1938: 2,150,006: Parkerfe al. .Marr 7,1939 `2,366,11-18 Harrison Jan.. 2, 1945 254:1?788-` Sargeant et al.V Jan. 7, 1947 2,429,466 Jones Oct. 21, 1947 2,467,361 Blewett .Apra 12, 1949v 508,082 Wald May,16,f1'950 2,509,207 Busignes May 30,1950 2,512,702 White; Jr JuneY 27, 1950' 2,539,127 Glass .Jan. 23, 1951 

